Laptops and other mobile devices allow the user to work in various locations, providing great convenience to users. However, the mobile devices are often powered down when traveling between locations, particularly with laptops in which the lid is typically closed during transit. As a result, access to relevant data on the device requires opening the laptop lid, waiting for power-up, and navigating to the desired information. This is a time-consuming and less-than-desirable user experience, particularly when the desired data is something as simple as a room number of a meeting.
U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/429,930 and 10/429,932 are generally directed towards the concept of computer systems having auxiliary processing and auxiliary mechanisms, particularly display-related mechanisms, which provide some computing functionality. For example, a small LCD on the lid or side of a laptop computer can provide its owner with useful information, such as a meeting location and time.
However, such auxiliary displays have heretofore been limited to narrow, limited operations in which a dedicated auxiliary display program is customized with respect to the information that can be displayed. For example, if meeting information was desired, the user would only see the information if the auxiliary display program was programmed to display the particular type of data as well as the relevant data for the current meeting. Moreover, any displayed data was static; any change to the data required returning the computer to the powered-up state to obtain the changes.
What is needed is a way for application programs that run under the main operating system of a computer system to provide appropriate data for display on an auxiliary display of that computer system, including at times when new data becomes available and the main display is not easily accessible or accessible at all, such as when the computer system is substantially powered down.